The Minnesota Vikings are hitting the road for Week 3, heading to Tampa Bay to face a Buccaneers team that’s teetering on a 0-3 abyss, staring down a bleak 3% chance to make the playoffs if they lose this game. This isn’t just any desperate team, though. These Buccaneers are also dangerous, arguably the NFL’s most consistently inconsistent squad. You wouldn’t be shocked if they went out and beat the Kansas City Chiefs one week, then lost at home to, well, the Cleveland Browns the next. The range of outcomes with these guys is absolutely wild.
Don’t Sleep on a Division Champ, Even When They’re Bleeding
Yeah, Tampa Bay might be struggling right now, but they’ve been the big fish in the small pond of the NFC South for a reason, winning the division three of the last four years under head coach Todd Bowles. Don’t let their records fool you, either; their best over that span was just 10-7, and they actually snatched the division title with an 8-9 record in 2022. The Vikings and Buccaneers have only clashed once in the Kevin O’Connell era, a frustrating 20-17 home loss back in Week 1 of 2023. That game saw Kirk Cousins sling for 344 yards and 2 touchdowns, but three crucial turnovers just proved too much to overcome. It really set the tone for an up-and-down, ultimately disappointing season for the Vikings. That match also marked Brian Flores’ debut as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, and remember the drama? Baker Mayfield actually claimed he’d figured out the Vikings’ defensive signals. Pretty plausible, given it was Flores’ first game and that complex scheme. You can bet Mayfield won’t get anything like that gift on Sunday.
Kyler Murray’s Big Test Against a Blitz-Happy Defense
The biggest news heading into this game, no doubt, is the return of Kyler Murray. We’re finally going to see what this offense can truly unleash with him back. He should get his opportunities because Tampa Bay’s defense has been far better against the run, ranking 4th in the league, than against the pass, where they sit at 21st. They’re also coming off a game where they let Deshaun Watson have maybe his best outing since joining the Cleveland Browns, tossing for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns with a 121.9 QB rating. Over the first two games, they’ve allowed a whopping 105.4 QB passer rating. Bowles, who also calls the shots as the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator, makes no secret of his love for the blitz. After seeing the first few series in Week 1, there’s no way he’s dialing back that philosophy. I’d be shocked if he didn’t test Murray and the Vikings’ offensive line early and often with varied pressures. The weird thing is, despite all that blitzing, actually getting home has been an issue for their defense, with just three sacks in two games. That’s not great for a defense that lives and dies by pressure.
This Week 3 matchup isn’t just another game; it’s Kyler Murray’s real debut and a huge test against a desperate, dangerous, and blitz-crazed defense. We’ll find out quickly if this offense can truly take flight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
Leave a Reply